“She was always laughing and always happy. She was a little girl, but she had a deep, big belly laugh,” Elena’s mom, Kelly, said. “She had an infectious sense of humor and made people laugh all the time.”

Elena had an old soul, and Kelly said Elena seemed more mature than other kids her age. She jumped at the opportunity to distribute snacks and water to tornado victims in Millbury; she made frequent visits to retirement homes to spread joy to the residents; and she donated her bouncy brown curls to Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to children with cancer.

“She was an amazing, loving, giving little girl,” Kelly said.

Kelly remembers the morning of June 9, 2010. Elena was lying on the floor with her 8-year-old brother, Alex. The inseparable siblings had their feet up on the TV stand. But later, that seemingly normal day turned into a nightmare when Elena was in a car accident and passed away.

In the midst of their sudden grief, Kelly and her husband, Monny, found the strength to ask if their daughter could save lives through organ donation.

That day, Elena forever changed the lives of two people through organ donation. Her kidneys allowed a 40-year-old father of four to spend more time with his family. Her liver saved a 13-year-old girl, who now has her whole life ahead of her.

Monny and Kelly have had written correspondence with Elena’s liver recipient and her family, and the similarities they uncovered were remarkable.

“The liver recipient chose ‘Elena’ as her name in Spanish class. There’s no way she could have known because that was before the accident,” Kelly said.

It didn’t stop there. The day of her liver transplant, she asked her dad to find her a hippo Pillow Pet. Her dad thought it was an odd request and was amazed to learn that Elena collected hippos – they were her favorite animal.

And after her liver transplant, she chose “Elena” as her Confirmation name.

Monny and Kelly have received several pictures of Elena’s liver recipient. Two of their favorites are from a homecoming dance and when she made the cheerleading squad.

“So many of the things this young lady is doing are things that Elena was into,” Monny said. “It gives us a sense of solace from the horrific tragedy we went through.”

Alex is proud that his sister was able to give the gift of life through organ donation.

“My sister always loved helping people – from helping after the tornado hit Millbury to just helping our mom around the house. To know that she helped two people by donating a part of herself to save them makes me smile every day,” Alex said.

Monny and Kelly are comforted knowing that their hilarious, kind, strong-willed Elena is loved by her recipients and their families. Monny, Kelly and Alex volunteer for Life Connection of Ohio to ensure that Elena’s generous spirit continues to shine.

“Through organ donation, we get to see Elena live on, and that’s the best thing we could ask for,” Monny said.